FAA EXTENDS FLIGHT LIMITS AT MAJOR NEW YORK AREA AIRPORTS
July 10, 2026
Eckert Seamans has prepared the information in this update for educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice nor substitute for legal advice. Neither your receipt of information from this website nor your use of this website to contact Eckert Seamans or one of its attorneys creates an attorney-client relationship, as the firm may, for example, already represent another party involved in your matter. Accordingly, you should not provide confidential information to Eckert Seamans. Persons seeking legal advice should consult a licensed professional attorney in their state. The firm’s Terms of Use, Legal Notice, and Disclaimer detailed herein are expressly incorporated into the Aviation Regulatory Update.
On June 18, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration issued several orders extending current flight limits at John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport, respectively, due to persistent congestion and delay concerns within the New York metropolitan area. During the slot-controlled hours, the FAA plans to maintain the current limits of 81 scheduled operations per hour at JFK, 71 scheduled operations per hour at LGA, and 72 scheduled operations per hour at EWR. All U.S. and foreign air carriers conducting scheduled operations at JFK, LGA, and/or EWR should monitor this matter closely as the FAA can modify existing flight limits with minimal notice if warranted to mitigate air traffic controller staffing shortages within the New York area. Carriers operating to any of the three major New York City area airports should also be aware that the FAA continues to evaluate whether potential rulemaking will be necessary in the future to codify best practices and policies for slot-controlled airports. If not extended further, the operational limits at JFK and LGA will expire on October 28, 2028, while modified limits on scheduled arrivals and departures at EWR will take effect on October 25, 2026, and expire on October 30, 2027. In connection with the above, the FAA also extended the waiver of minimum slot usage requirements at JFK and LGA through October 30, 2027.
This Aviation Blog Post is intended to keep readers current on developments in the law. It is not intended to be legal advice. If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr at 202.659.6622 or esahr@eckertseamans.com; Drew Derco at 202.659.6665 or dderco@eckertseamans.com; Tyler Myers at 202.659.6642 or trmyers@eckertseamans.com, or any other attorney at Eckert Seamans with whom you have been working.
Share This Post
Authors
